This record of events was established in 2005 when our three person family was residing cozily in a downtown Tokyo studio. We have since grown to five members and after many wonderful years in the suburbs of Chicago, we've returned to Tokyo. My husband and I both work full time; my name is Jamie and I'm the author of this blog!
Hoping to speak here more in 2015.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Week in the Life

If you make it all the way through the list of things that happened to me (us) this past week, likely you'll think I'm complaining. Perhaps even that I'd be justified to do so. But I want to report, in advance of the list: by God's grace, that's not the state of my heart. True, I feel a bit beaten up. Mostly, and more importantly, I feel grateful. In all of these happenings, I can see ways I (we) was spared and ways I was rescued. I'm not in such an advanced state of gratitude to wish for a repeat (Jesus, let the coming week be less eventful!). Just want to acknowledge publicly that grace has brought me through, and I count that as a great start to a new year.

*{Monday} Aogu blacked out, fell and bashed his face on our dresser. But thank God! He didn't suffer a concussion, and no repeat blackouts in the days since. Furthermore, he called the doctor and scheduled an appointment for himself. Which has NEVER happened during the length of our aquaintance....

*{Wednesday} I was given less than an hour's notice of a showing for our house. Ironically, that morning I had looked around and mentally congratulated myself that the house was in close to showable condition. HA! Friends who recently moved in down the street saved my life again by watching the kids so I could--literally--race around the house and try to shape it up. For my own amusement, let me confess: I dumped the contents of the recycle bin so I would have that receptacle for the dirty dishes, which I stashed in the garage. It was really my worst clean-up job yet. So is anyone surprised to hear that although we didn't get an offer, we did get the best feedback we've had so far?!

*{Thursday} SNOW. Not even many inches, shouldn't have been a big deal around here, only it was, being the first snow we had this winter. Please note I am not complaining here! No snow is just fine with me. Being rear ended was bad. Realizing my van and the other guy's car were unscathed and the kids barely noticed, well, all of that was a great relief but I was still shaken up. Must also note that it took me 90 minutes to drive to Koji's bus stop and back instead of the usual 45. Which caused us to miss Koji's karate....

*{Also Thursday} Figured out that water had been spraying out of our ice maker. Figured it out because water was dripping into the laundry room. Future buyers of our home, please don't be disturbed. We had it fixed right away (forever grateful, Ivan!) and we cleaned up and dried it out lickety split. I assure you, this is a fine, sound home. For real.

*{Saturday} Izumi's first tooth fell out (photographic evidence above). Misaki went poo on the potty for the first time. We went to the annual New Year's mochi making party at Izumi's school (looking at that post reminded me that it was exactly four years ago we lost Ai-chan, perhaps more about that soon). I gave up any and all pretense of tolerating mochi and ran out to grab some take out from Pita Inn. Aogu WON the run in place contest and now has this happy problem: what to buy with a Dick's Sporting Goods $25 gift card?

How was YOUR week? Can you relate, from this past week or any other recent time? How is your resolve going for the New Year?

3 comments:

Much less dramatic than yours! That's for sure. Yes! I'm thankful everyday for the grace of God showing up when I didn't even know I needed it. My resolve is in the can. I've decided I need to do the week on self control from my Beth Moore bibles study over and over until I can get a grip!Love that Izumi and Eli lost their first tooth within a week of each other! Love you!

Wow, Jamie, no wonder I didn't hear from you. Oh, I mean I DID hear from you. You wrote this wonderful account! I was refelcting how my life feels overwhelming just by the stacks and stacks of papers that currently surround my home office chair. Nevertheless, I am happy, and content. Happiness is having something to do, someone(s) to love and something to look forward to. I LOVE ALL OF YOU MATSUOKAS! as communicated thusly: xoxoxoxox and uuu.

About Me

Living my life half or more in Japanese while standing in the kitchen, wishing I could read at the same time unless I could be talking to you, and all the better if you and I really get each other and we laugh hysterically all the time